Wire tying machine



May 7, 1940. v. F. ZAREMBA Er Al.

WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 7, 1940. v. F.ZAREMBA ET A.

WIRE` TYING MACHINE Filed May 6, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 7, 1940. v.F. ZAREMBA Er AL WIRE TYINC'r MACHINE sheets-sheet :5

Filed May 6, 1959 frwefziof: Valera@ JF. Zaremba',

Patented May 7, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,200,234 WIRE 'rYING MACHINEValerian F. Zaremba and Stanley P. Osuch,

Cicero, Ill., assignors to The Gerrard Company, Inc., Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Delaware Application May 6, 1939, Serialv No. 272,251

11 Claims.

This invention relates to wire tying machines of the type having meansfor tensioning a wire about an object, twisting overlapped portions ofthe wire into a flat knot, and cutting oil the excess wire at the endsof the knot.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide, in such a machine,improved means for transmitting the necessary power from an operatinghandle to the twisting means and cutting means.

Another object is to provide improved means for maintaining the slot inthe twisting pinion in proper position to receive the overlappedportions of the wire.

Another object is to provide improved means for rotatably supporting thetwisting pinion, whereby to facilitate renewal of the bearings whenworn.

While the foregoing statements are indicative in a general way of thenature of the invention, other more specific objects and advantages willbe apparent to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of theconstruction, arrangement and operation of the improvements incorporatedin the machine.

A preferred embodiment of the invention isA presented herein for thepurpose of exemplification, but it will of course be appreciated thatthe invention is susceptible of embodiment in other structurallymodified forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine constructed in accordance with theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a frontl view of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the knot 'tied by the machine;

Fig. 4 is a front view of the knot;

Fig. A5 is -a vertical section through the machine, taken on the line5-5 of Fig. 1;

Figs. -6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are vertical sections through the machine,taken respectively on the lin'es 6-6, 1-1, 8-8, 9-9 and III-I0 of Fig.2;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary vertical section, taken on the line II-II ofFig. 9; and

Fig.412 isa plan view of the twisting pinion and interchangeablebearings for the same, removed from the machine.

The machine shown in the drawings includes a base I0, a stationary wiregripper II at one side of the base, a movable wire gripper I2- at theother side of the base, a horizontally arranged forwardly opening throatI3 in the base between the grippers II and I2, a slotted twisting pinionIl journaled in the base in the rear (Cl. L10- 93) at the ends of theknot, a hand lever I'I for 5 operating both the twisting pinion I 4 andthe cutters I6, and another hand lever I8 for operating the movablegripper I2.

The base III is provided with a flat bottom v I9 which enables it torest stably on the object, 10

a forwardly projecting lip 20 which forms a continuation of the lowerpart of the throat I3, and side extensions 2| and 22 which supportrespectively the stationary gripper I I and the movable gripper I2. Thebase is also provided, at sub- 15 stantially its center, with a pair ofupwardly projecting lugs 23 in which a shaft 24 is journaled.

The stationary wire gripper II consists of a forwardly projecting bottomplatev 25 and a downwardly spring-pressed ldisk 26 which is peripherallyserrated in order to frictionally grip a wire portion resting on theplate 25. The disk 26 is eccentrically pivoted on a bolt 21 and issecured to a small sheet metal bracket 28, which bracket moves with thedisk. The bracket 28 is provided with a forwardly projecting ear 29above one edge of the plate 25, which ear has a cam-shaped lower edge 30which causes the gripper to open automatically when a Wire portion ispushed rearwardly in engagement with such edge. This gripper assembly isset back at a slight angle to the axis of the twisting pinion Il and issecured to a bracket 3l which is rigidly but detachably fastened to theextension 2| of the base by machine screws 32.

The movable wire lgripper I2 consists of a radially slotted windingvhead 33, a bolt 34 onv which the head is journaled, a ratchet wheel 35associated with the head, a dog 36 pivotally carried by the handle I8for turning the wheel 35 and head 33 in a clockwise direction, and asecond dog 31 for preventing movement of the same in the oppositedirection. 'Ihis gripperl assembly is likewise set back at a slightangle to the axis of the twisting pinion I4 and is secured to a bracket38 which is rigidly'but detachably fastened to the extension 22 of thebase by machine screws 39. v

In proceeding to tie a wire about an object, the machine is placed onthe object, one end of the l wire is hooked into the radially slottedwinding head 33 at the left side of the machine, and the head 33 is thenturned by means of the handle I8 far enough to prevent any likelihood ofthe 55 wire becoming accidentally disengaged from the head. The wireportion leading from the thusly engaged end is then pushed back withinthe throat I3 of the base into the narrow slot 40 in the twisting pinionI4 and the equally narrow slots 4I in the holding yokes I5. After thishas been done the wire is passed about the object and again pushed backinto the slot 40 in the twisting pinion and the slots 4I in the holdingyokes, thereby lodging portions of the "wire sideby-side in such slots.The far end of the Wire leading back to the coil or other source ofsupply is then pushed under the ear 29 on the gripper Il at the rightside of the machine, allowing the disk 26 of the gripper to be pressedinto frictional engagement with the wire.

During the application of the wire to the machine, the portion of thewire leading oif toward the left about the object is adapted to beengaged by a downwardly opening hook 42 which is pivoted to the base atthe left side of the machine. This hook assists in keeping the machinein proper position with respect to the loop of wire about the objectduring the subsequently performed tensioning, twisting and cuttingoperations.

As soon as the machine has been threaded with the wire in the mannerdescribed, the operating handle I8 for the movable gripper I2 is given afew strokes in order to tension the wire about the object to the extentdesired. After this has been done the handle I1 is given three strokesforward and backward. The forward strokes of this handle cause thetwisting pinion y I4 to rotate and twist the overlapped portions of thewire together into the flat knot 43 shown in Figs. 3 and 4, while thelast one of the three rearward strokes of the same handle causes thecutters I6 to sever the excess wire at the points 44 just beyond theends of the twist.

The forwardly opening throat I9 contains two axially aligned cylindricalbores 45 which are separated from each other .by a transverse slot 46.The twisting pinion I4 is positioned in the slot '46 and is providedwith axially extending cylindrical studs 41 which are disposed withinthe adjacent ends only of the bores 45. The

`portion of the base I 0 immediately -below the slot 46 and below theadjacent ends of the bores 45 is provided with an opening 48, whichopening underlies the pinion I4 froxnone end of one stud 41 to the otherend of the other stud, thereby permitting insertion and removal of thepinion through such opening upon endwise withdrawal of two interposedbearing sleeves 49. The sleeves 49, which are preferably made of bronzebut may be made of any other suitable bearing material, line the bores45 in the throat I3. These sleeves are open at the front and conform tothe upper and lower surfaces of the portions of the throat I3 in frontof the bores. The sleeves 49 extend the full length of the bores 45 butonly the ends of the sleeves adjacent the pinion I4 serve as lbearingsfor the studs 41 on the pinion. This permits the two sleeves 49 to beinterchanged, one

for the other, in the bores 45 upon becoming worn, thereby in effectpermitting renewal of the bearings for the pinion without the necessityof having to actually replace the sleeves.

The twisting pinion I4 meshes upwardly and rearwardly with a relativelylarge gear 50. which gear is journaled on the previously mentioned shaft24. The gear 50 is secured to a collar 5I on the shaft by means ofseveral locking pins 52, and the collar 5I is provided about itsperiphery with three equally spaced ratcheting notches 53. The operatinghandle I'I for the twisting and cutting mechanisms is provided at thelocation of the shaft 24 with two laterally spaced arms 54 which arefreely pivoted on the shaft 24 at opposite sides of the lugs 23. One ofthe arms 54 carries a pivotally mounted spring-pressed dog 55 whichengages within one of the notches 53 in the collar 5I upon each forwardstroke of the handle I1, turning the gear 50 one-third of a revolutionduring each stroke. At the end of each stroke the gear 50 is yieldinglyheld against inadvertent movement `by two oppositely disposedspring-.pressed plungers 56, carried by the base, which plungers projectinto shallow recesses 51 in the opposite faces of the gear. 'I'he gear50 makes a complete revolution for each three strokes of the handle I 1and during this complete revolution of the-gear 50 the twisting pinionI4 makes three complete turns to twist the wire held therein into thedesired knot formation. The .rearmost position of the handle I1 at thecommencement of each forward stroke, is determined by an adjustable setscrew 58 in the base, which screw is so disposed as to cause the slot 40in the twisting pinion I4 to be directed toward the front of the machinewhile the wire is being connected up with the machine preparatory to thetensioning, twisting and cutting operations.

'I'he holding yokes I5--which keep the overlapped wire portions fromturning at the locations of such yokes during the twisting operationfitagainst the otherwise open ends of the bores 45, between the latter andthe cutters I6. The cutters I6 consist of blocks 59 which are pivoted attheir lower ends on pins 66, and cutting blades 6I which are detachablysecured to the front edges of the blocks 59, beneath overhangingshoulders 62 on the blocks, by means of screws 63. The blades 6|shearingly coact with the sidefaces of the yokes I5 at the locations ofthe slots 4I therein and are notched in such a way that the blade 6I atthe left side of the machine will cut only the rear wire while the blade6I at the right side will miss the rear wire and cut only the frontwire. 'I'he blocks 59 are normally held in their raised inoperativepositions by springs 64 which are located beneath the lower edges of theblocks. 'I'he blocks are swung forwardly and downwardly to cut the wireat the end of the third and last rearward stroke of the handle I1. Thisis accomplished by cams 65 on the ends of the shaft 24, which camsrevolve with the shaft one-third of a revolution during each rearwardstroke of the handle I1. The shaft 24 and the cams 65 turn in theopposite direction from the gear 50 on the same shaft, the shaft andcams making a complete revolution in one direction while the gear ismaking a complete revolution in the opposite direction. At the end ofthe third rearward stroke of the handle I1 the cams 65 will engage withthe blocks 69 at 66, causing the blocks 59 to swing forwardly and cutthe wire. The shaft 24 and the cams v65 are rotated by a collar 61 whichis fastened to the shaft between the gear 50 and one of the lugs 23.This collar, like the previously described collar 5I, is provided withthree equally spaced ratcheting notches 68 which are engaged, one afterthe other, by a pivotally mounted spring-pressed dog 69 on the other arm54 of the handle I1. The

notches 68 and the dog 59 are sopositloned, however, as to turn theshaft 24 during the rearward strokes only of the handle. A smallspringpressed pivotally mounted locking dog is car-iA ried by the basein engagement with the notches 68, one after another, lfor preventingthe shaft .24 from turning in the same direction as the gear 50.

To prevent any -inadvertent movement of the handle I1 relative to thebase I0 before the Wire is connected up with and threaded into themachine, and thereby insure the slot 40 in the twisting pinion I4opening toward the front of the machine to receive the wire, a speciallocking device 1I is provided, which locking device will not permit thehandle I1 tobe moved from its starting position until after the wire hasbeen connected up with the grippers I I and I2 and placed under at leastsome tension. The locking device 1I consists of a plate 12 which ispivotally mounted on a pin 13. The plate is characterized by a hookportion 14 which is adapted to engage with a stud-15 on one of the arms54 of the handle I1. When the machine is not in use the hook 14 is heldin engagement with the stud 15 by a spring 16. This locked engagement ofthe parts prevents the then rearwardly disposed handle I1 from beingmoved. 'I'he plate 12 is provided with a cam 11 which engages with therear edge 18 of a slide 19. The slide 19 is movable forwardly andrearwardly in a passage 80 provided for that purpose. The front edge 8|of the slide projects into the position occupied by portions of the wirewhen the latter is under tension. Accordingly, as soon as thewire isltensioned and drawn. into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 10, theslide 19 will be forced rearwardly by the wire, camming the plate 12into the released position shown in dotted lines in that view. Later,when the Wire portion leading to the gripper II is cut, the slide 19will be released fromvthe pressure of the wire and the spring 16 willcause the hook 14 to again lock with the stud 15 on the handle.

In completing the formation of the knot 43, the overlapped wireportions` held by the yokes I5 are given a slight over-twist by thepinion I4, the latter turning a little beyond its final position so thatthe knot will receive a set in which the ends thereof are insubstantially the same horizontal plane when they come to rest. Inaccomplishing this over-twist, the previously mentioned indexingplungers 56. after riding into the recesses 51 at the end of the lastforward stroke of the handle I1, will ride somewhat past the centers ofthe recesses 51 under resiliently yielding resistance while the handleis moved forwardly to a position wherein bosses 82 on the handle comeinto engagement with abutments 83 on the base. As soon as al1 forwardpressure on the handle I1 is relieved the indexing action of theplungers 56 will come into play, springing the twisting pinion I4 backinto a position wherein the slot 40 therein opens toward the front in aperfectly horizontal position in readiness to permit removal of the knotas soon as the cutters I6 have cut away the excess wire. Since thecutters I6 cannot act upon the wire until after the handle I1 has beenmoved all of the way from its foremost position into its rearmostposition, the knot formation is always given an opportunity to come torest in its iinal position before any cutting thereon takes place. As aresult of this, the wire portions adjacent the ends are disposed side byside in the same horizontal plane and the lextremities of the wire wherethe cutting takes place are depressed by the action of the cuttingblades into positions a little below such plane.

Brieiiy reviewing the operation of the improved machine, the base of themachine is placed against the object about which'the wire is to belooped and tied, one end of the wire is engaged with the winding head33, moved back into the slots 40 and 4I in the twisting pinionandholding yokes, passed about the object, moved again into the slots 40and 4I in overlapping relation to the portion of the wire alreadyoccupying such slots, and then secured. beneath the -disk 26. After thewire has been connected with the machine and looped about the object inthis manner, tension is placed on the wire by operating the handle I8.As the wire becomes taut, the slide 19 is forced rearwardly by the wirein engagement with the front edge-of the slide, releasing th'e hook 14from the stud 15 on the handle I1. The handle I1 is then given threeforward strokes and three rearward strokes. The three forward strokesact through the gear 50 to rotate the twisting pinion the number ofturns necessary to produce the knot 43, while the three rearward strokesact through the shaft 24 to bring the cams 65 at the end of the lastrearward stroke into engagement with the blocks 59 of the cutters I6,causing the latter to sever the excess Wire from the ends of the knot.At the completion of this cutting operation the handle I1 will becomeautomatically locked in its rearmost position.

We claim:

l. In a wire tying machine, tensioning and twisting mechanisms, separateindependently movable hand levers for operating said mechanisms, andmeans for locking the hand lever for the twisting mechanism againstmovement prior to the operation of the tensioning mechanism irrespectiveof the position of the hand lever for the tensioning mechanism.

2. In a wire tying machine, tensioning and twisting mechanisms. separatelindependently movable hand levers for operating said mechanisms, andmeans for preventing th'e operation of the twisting mechanism prior tothe operation of the tensioning mechanism, said means being operative inall positions of the machine, whereby to permit the machine-to be movedabout in any position without rendering said means inoperative.

3. In a wire vtying machine, tensioning and twisting mechanisms,separate independently movable hand levers for operating saidmechanisms, means Vfor normally locking the hand lever for the twistingmechanism against movement,

and means operable by the pressure of the wire thereagainst when drawntaut by the tensioning mechanism for releasing the locking means tothereafter permit movement of the hand lever for the twisting mechanism.

4. In a wire tying machine, twisting and cutting mechanisms, meansrotatable in one direction a predetermined amount to operate thetwisting mechanism, other means rotatable in the opposite direction apredetermined amount to operate the cutting mechanism, and a single handlever movable in one direction to turn only the first mentioned meansand movable in the opposite direction to turn only the second mentionedmeans.

the cutting mechanism, and a single hand lever movable in one directionto turn the gear and movable in the opposite direction to turn the camshaft.

6. In a wire tying machine, twisting and cutting mechanisms, a gearrotatable in one direction a complete revolution to operate the twistingmechanism, a cam shaft rotatable in the opposite direction a completerevolution to operate the cuttingr mechanism, a single hand lever forturning both the gear and the cam shaft, a one-way ratchet connectionbetween the hand lever and the gear for turning the gear only when thehand lever is moved in one direction, and a second oppositely workingone-way ratchet connection between the hand lever and the cam shaft forturning the shaft only when the hand lever is moved in the otherdirection.

7. In a wire tying machine, twisting and cutting mechanisms, a gearrotatable in one direction a complete revolution to operate the twistingmechanism, a cam shaft rotatable in the opposite direction a completerevolution to operate the cutting mechanism, a single hand lever for lturning both the gear and the cam shaft, a oneway ratchet connectionbetween the hand lever and the gear for turning the gear only when thehand lever is moved in one direction, and a second oppositely workingone-way ratchet connection between the hand lever and the shaft forturning the cam shaft only when the hand lever is moved in the otherdirection, the gear being 4rotatably mounted on the cam shaft, and thehand lever being pivotally mounted on the cam shaft.

8. In a wire tying machine, a base containing two axially aligned bores,a slot between the bores, and an opening-underlying the slot and theadjacent ends of the bores, a radially slotted twisting pinionpositioned in the slot and provided at its sides with axially extendingjournaling studs which are located in said bores directly above saidopening, and bearing sleeves surrounding and supporting the journalingstuds in vided at its sides with axially extending journaling studswhich are located in s'aid bores directly above said opening, andbearing sleeves surrounding and supporting the journaling studs in saidbores, said sleeves being withdrawable endwise from the bores to permitremoval of the pinion with its studs downwardly through said opening,and said sleeves being substantially longer than the studs to permit thesleeves to be e interchanged in the bores to effect renewal of.

the bearing surfaces for the studs.

10. In a wire tying machine, twisting and cutting mechanisms, and asingle hand lever for operating both' of said mechanisms, the'completion of the twisting operation taking place when the hand leverreaches the end of its movement in one direction, and the entire cuttingoperation taking place when the hand lever reaches the end of itsmovement in the opposite' direction, whereby to allow the twisted knotformation to come to rest before the excess wire is cut from the ends ofsuch formation.

.11. In a wire tying machine, tensioning and twisting mechanisms,separate independently moving hand levers for operating said mechanisms,and means for locking the hand lever for the twisting mechanism againstmovement prior to the operation of the tensioning mechanism, saidlocking means being operative in all positions of the machine, wherebyto enable the machine to be carried about by either lever. as a handlewithout releasing said locking means.

VALERIAN F. ZAREMBA. STANLEY P. OSUCH.

